1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bag filling devices and more particularly pertains to a new bag filling device for easily scooping ballast material, such as sand or dirt, into a flexible bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of bag filling devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, bag filling devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art bag filling devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,147; U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,745; U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,666; U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,978; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 321,631; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,244.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new bag filling device. The inventive device includes an elongate tubular body member formed by a perimeter wall having inner and outer surfaces with the inner surface defining a body member hollow interior. At the top end of the body member is a top edge defining an upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The top edge also includes a scooping portion which is positioned towards the back of the body member. The scooping portion is designed for permitting the scooping of material, such as sand, dirt, and gravel, through the upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member has a bottom edge which defines a lower opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member is designed for insertion through the opening and into the interior of a flexible bag to permit passage of material through the body member hollow interior into the interior of a flexible bag.
In these respects, the bag filling device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of easily scooping ballast material, such as sand or dirt, into a flexible bag.